A dear friend of mine, whose views I respect a lot brought to my attention an interview of Pastor Tunde Bakare , the Senior Pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, a Pentecostal Church based in Lagos Nigeria. This Moslem turned Christian, whose vociferous statements about Christianity and how it is practiced especially in Africa, more so in Nigeria to the fore front had a great deal of stuff to voice out. And he did.

I had written something about Miracles a few weeks ago, posted yesterday and I must say that it is not a coincidence that I will be posting this MUST READ INTERVIEW TODAY. Something is brewing.

Let me make one point clear, this man Tunde Bakare is not perfect, neither do I agree with all his views. However, the man, a Pastor, is standing up to be counted and not many Pastors in Nigeria fall into this exclusive category. Many prefer to keep quiet and play safe entertaining personalities recognised worldwide as thieves in the society at their crusades. So for Tunde Bakare to have an opinion is invigorating, and can only do one thing, which is to bring about a debate to better the much maligned nation called Nigeria.

I have no doubts that the bane of ills in our society today is not caused by the corrupt ignoramus acting as Politicians (I am not apologising for generalising at this point) but more so by those that profess to hear from God and stand on the pulpit to mislead most of the times whilst hiding behind scriptures. Jesus spoke the truth, still does through whoever is bold enough to speak it, but in Nigeria, there are very few.Very few indeed.

The majority of those that do not have, and I mean the very poor, without realising it, depend on their Pastors (to a point of worship) . That is the reality of Poverty.

Many who have the opportunity to read the interview below do not fall into the poverty group I have in mind when I make this assertion. Poverty, I hasten to add, comes in many disguises, the most popular been lack of money, however there is much more. Lack of information and lack of correct spiritual guidance being some of them.

So it is our responsibility to cascade this message to the poor. The ‘victims’ of the pulpit. Revolution does not have to be executed by firing squad, it starts in the mind. It has begun, be part of it. Do your bit. Nothing is too small.

Pastors have become Super stars in our society. Should that really be the case?

Churches are now known by the Pastors that over see them. People who claim to be Christians that is Christ-like are scared to speak out.

Why?

I don’t know.

This country Nigeria is laid with deep religious beliefs which has led its people to apocalypse we all experience today.

Our leaders are Lazy to Think.

Lazy to act.

We worship not God, but money.

So when I read an interview such as the one below, it is refreshing to know that I am not isolated in my views.

Yes, I attend a Church that happens to be a parish of Redeemed Christian Church of God, but for many that care to take know, I always insist that I am not a member of Redeemed but a Christian who happens to have come across a church led by a man who happens to be a Pastor presiding over a Redeemed parish. Once the message that comes from the pulpit contradicts the Bible, I know what I will do. Leave immediately.

Enough of me.

Read Tunde Bakare’s views on Tithes, Prayer and Fasting, Divine Healing, Super Pastors and the state of the nation called Nigeria.

Enjoy and Ponder and let me have your thoughts later, that is, if you are not timid to offer them, that is.

Why I Quit Redeemed Church by Tunde Bakare

by ADEMOLA ADEGBAMIGBE of the news

Tunde Bakare

Pulpit Radical-When one looks at the life of Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Lagos-based Latter Rain Assembly, one cannot but conclude that he carries a burden of history in the dialectics of Christianity in Nigeria. This is because at every stage of development in history, whereby changes occur as a result of contradictions in the status quo, certain individuals were the agents of such revolution. And Christianity is not an exception. Immediately Jesus Christ left the scene, his disciples carried the gospel to the nooks and crannies of the then known world.

Their practice was pristine, undiluted by the affairs of the world. As years rolled into centuries, the religion entered its dark age, so much that the churches were in government and Catholic Bishops, in their sacerdotal influence over the society, kept private armies. It was the age of inquisition by the Catholic Church whereby heretics, through a system of ecclesiastical justice, were tortured or executed. Worse still, sinners were made to pay some money to the clergy who promised them forgiveness of sins. It was as a result of that practice called “the indulgence” that Martin Luther, a priest and theology professor, initiated the Protestant Reformation in Europe.

In his 1517 work, which he called The Ninety-Five Theses, Luther strongly disputed the claim of the Catholic Church that “freedom from God’s punishment of sin could be purchased with money.” For his radicalism, Pope Leo X, in 1520 excommunicated and condemned Luther as an outlaw.

The fire of reformation brought European preachers on proselitising mission to Africa – and Nigeria. Over the years, tepidity set in.

In Nigeria, Pentecostal Christianity developed out of the lethargy of the orthodox churches. But the creeping in of compromises here and there, materialism and abandonment of salvation, has started to create its own contradictions within Pentecostalism.

Right or wrong, it is all these that Bakare, whom his admirers see as the Martin Luther of Nigeria, has taken upon himself to confront, lest Christianity slip into philistinism. However, his advocacy also goes beyond pointing out the contradictions in religion; he passes comments to challenge the country’s political leaders for their misgovernance. According to a statement posted to E Line, a Christian online network, “Pastor Bakare is the only pastor in Nigeria who could look at any government in the face and say you are wrong. The Nigerian populace get to hear of other pastors only when their comments are complimentary of governments. Who is this man?”

Born on 11 November 1954 to a polygamous Muslim family at Iporo Sodeke in Abeokuta, Bakare did not know his father – he died when he was two – but was brought up by his mother, Abigail Ebudola Bakare. He attended Lisabi Grammar School Abeokuta, Ogun State, after which he studied Law at the University of Lagos. According to the online network, “it was [on the] night of his circumcision as a little boy that God showed him a glimpse of his future, which manifested in a dream from which he woke up in a pool of his own blood.”

Ten years later, in September 1974, he, as the publication put it, had gone to a Baptist Church to take photograph of a friend being baptised and the “pillar of light” he had seen in his vision 10 years earlier was replayed inside this church. It was so dramatic he could not hold back. He recognised it as a vision from God and as a call to service. Thereafter he was converted to Christianity.”

In 1984, he started his private law firm – EI-Shaddai Chambers. That was after his legal tutelage at the chambers of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Chief Rotimi Williams. That same year, Bakare married Olayide, with whom he has five children. In 1994, after nursing the dream for 15 years, he established the Latter Rain Assembly, which he called “an Apostolic Community of believers whose purpose is to carry forward the purpose of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.”

Bakare’s admirers readily cite his prophecies that scored a bull’s eye. For example, when Chief M.K.O Abiola contested for the presidential election in 1993 Bakare advised against it, prophesying that “he might not come out alive”. Abiola died in detention. In April 1993, Bakare predicted that neither of the two existing political parties, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and the National Republican Convention, NRC, would attain political power. Less than two weeks after the June 12 presidential election, General Ibrahim Babangida, then military president, cancelled the election. And when Nigerians were not sure whether Babangida would leave, Bakare prophesied, according to his people, that “on or before 27th August 1993, he (IBB) would make mistakes that would make him go.” Babangida stepped aside.

The Interim National Government that came to power, headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan, was not spared either. Bakare described the government as the “Ishbosheth factor”; a mere stopover. “As Ishbosheth was disgraced and his head cut off, so would the regime of Ernest Shonekan,” he was quoted as saying. Shonekan resigned at gunpoint.

According to E-Life, Bakare, in 1998, went to Kano and at the Conference of Prophetic and Apostolic Churches, COPAC, prophesied that the city should expect the corpse of another head of state –Murtala Muhammed was the first. Abacha died on 8 June that year.

However, Bakare’s critics like to point at his prophecy that missed the mark. On 7 March 1999, Bakare said: “Obasanjo is not your messiah. He is King Agag and the prophetic axe will fall upon his head before May 29.”

The former Nigerian leader was so angry that he told a gathering of other pastors after his inauguration that they should warn one of their own or he would start wearing the cassock!

Notwithstanding this, Bakare has not stopped speaking, a disposition that once put him into trouble. When he travelled to Ghana, he called his lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, on 28 February 2002, and told him that on his arrival he might be arrested. He was picked up by the State Security Service, SSS, but was soon set free.

Recently, Bakare fielded questions from Senior Editor, BABAJIDE KOLADE-OTITOJU; General Editor, ADEMOLA ADEGBAMIGBE and Associate Editor, BAMIDELE JOHNSON. IDOWU OGUNLEYE, Photo Editor, snapped the shots. Bakare spoke on the state of the nation, the rot among Christians and the conflict within the clergy in Nigeria.

Q: Many Nigerians are worried that the country is adrift. What are your fears about our nation

A: I have no fears about our nation. What I have are concerns because fear itself is the antithesis of faith. And it is not that I’m trying to be super-spiritual or over-religious, but because I have faith in God that Nigeria will flourish again. I don’t entertain fears. But I have deep concerns because it appears that the worst set of people are often thrown up to steer the ship of the nation.

They are either uncooked, untrained or just don’t care. So you have the worst of us leading the best of us. The problems that we have are not peculiar to Nigeria. But it appears the brightest in other nations have the frame of mind, the intellectual capacity, the energy, the resolve and the will to get results. They attack their problems and they begin to solve them. We have ours compounded and often, we just leave the substance and chase the shadow. That is my concern.

Q: How did we get to this sorry state?
A: It’s a combination of many factors. You are from Kogi State and your colleague is from Ekiti State. Brilliant people. If I ask why you are not in politics, you could say ‘that’s not my calling.’ You could say ‘politics is dirty and I don’t want to get sullied.’ And you know that as long as good people stay away from that terrain, it is like saying let the bad people continue. That’s one aspect. Another thing is that those who are benefiting from such a system are not ready to relinquish power and they would do all within their power to ensure that they do not only discourage the brilliant and the brightest, but also discourage good quality people from coming in. They could use anything from assassination, whether of character or actual termination of life, to terrify the people who might want to come in there. As the good book says, a strong man who keeps his palace would deploy everything he has to ensure nobody can invade his territory, except the stronger than he who comes and binds him. Then he can do exploits and redistribute what he has accumulated over the years. So, you have many factors. I’ve heard people say you cannot put the cart before the horse; that there’ll be no motion. That’s not true. If you put the cart before the horse, there’ll be motion, but you’re going backwards. But mainly, as far as I’m concerned, the fundamental issues in Nigeria are never dealt with. We have an identity crisis. We don’t know who we are. Are we a republic? Are we a federation? What exactly are we? These are issues for me, as a person, because I need to know whether I am a male before I can ask a female to marry me. If I don’t know whether I am a male or female, I’ll be confused. The corporate Nigeria persona is a confused entity. It’s not just the amalgamation of 1914, it’s an amalgam of political tendencies that you don’t even know. When it stands there, you don’t know what it is. And those who know how to hijack and take advantage of that just keep on driving on and the rest of us look hopeless and helpless.

Q: Our electoral system discourages good people from putting themselves forward. What is the way out of that?

A: Of all the elections I’ve been privileged to be alive to witness in Nigeria, probably the freest and fairest election was the 1993 election that resulted in the June 12 crisis. It employed Option A4, brought by probably the most hated leader in Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida. I recently read that he is advocating the same thing as part of the solution to our many problems. I have participated in several elections. I didn’t vote in the 1964 elections, but I was alive and active. I saw all the campaigns. M.I Okpara and H.I.D Awolowo were in my hometown, Abeokuta. We did not belong to any party, but we sang for them because at the end of the whole campaign, we knew we would get something.

I remember the songs well. There is insincerity in all the attempts to reform our electoral system. What is difficult in having a sound electoral system? Ghana is a nation next door. They’ve built that institution that it can now function on its own. A system in which a sitting president appoints you and you owe your allegiance to him is not good. He who pays the piper calls the tune. For as long as we continue to dance and swim in the whirlpool of insincerity and hypocrisy and we don’t mean well for this nation, it would remain the same. That’s why you and I ought to rise. Regardless of the toga we wear or our occupational identity, we’re first and foremost Nigerians. Until we rise and say enough is enough, it’s going to continue. Because freedom is never granted to the oppressed. It must be demanded from the oppressor by the oppressed. So, if there’s going to be change in that area, it would be something that will permeate the entire atmosphere and the whole nation would say this is the way forward. But it would have to be championed by people of goodwill who desire change in this country, not those who want to maintain the status quo. I was talking to a friend of mine a few minutes before I came here and he asked what I think of the situation of the church?

I said the church is as polarised as the world because there’s no difference. In Nigeria, I don’t see the difference between the man who goes to church and the man who doesn’t. I don’t see the difference between the one who calls the name of God and the one who doesn’t anymore. Why? Because immediately there’s crisis or corruption, you find area pastors and senior leaders participating in it. So you have status quo churches and churches who are asking for change and neither is exclusive to any denomination. I’ve seen Anglican priests and bishops who are very forthright. I’ve seen Catholic priests who are very forthright. I’ve seen Penterascals, who call themselves Pentecostals. I’ve seen Pentecostals who are upright. So you cannot really say who is where. But if that is going to change, all hands will have to be on deck.

Q: President Umaru Yar’Adua is into his third year in office. How would you rate his performance?

A: That’s a question I wouldn’t even want to touch or answer because for the first time in my life as an adult, looking at his antecedents: his late brother, his father–a First Republic minister– and his level of education, I was so excited. But I must admit my humanity here that I was fooled. This is the first man I said I am willing to call my own president, looking at what he left behind in the treasury and his attitude to life. This is the first Nigerian graduate, not to mention a lecturer as head of state. Now, I’ve found out that the hood does not make the monk. Because if you ask me to rate him, I have only one rating: Umaru Yar’Adua, go home. You’re a round peg in a square hole; totally unfit in this day to lead this nation.

Q: What exactly is he doing wrong?
A: Too many things.

Q: Mention some of them.

A: I’m yet to see what promise out of his Seven-point agenda he has kept. And if there are circumstances hindering him from fulfilling them, an honest man would come and say ‘fellow countrymen and women, before I came to power’–I hate the term ‘come to power’ but that’s what we’re used to in the military environment. ‘Before I came to this office, these were my thoughts. Now, I’ve seen that it cannot work that way. I’m explaining to you the situation, the factors militating against it and these are things I am trying to do.’ Here’s a man who is battling with his own health. And he couldn’t care less whether Nigeria is sick or healthy. An honest man would have thought that he owes his nation the duty to say that he does not have the mental capacity or the energy to continue to lead. I wonder if he is able to even read through any memo presented before him or people just read for him. Because if we take electricity for example, what have we got? The things that were imported by Obasanjo were left at the ports to either acquire demurrage or to waste away with unnecessary lies told that he spent so much. The man who said he didn’t spend up to that was fired, only to find out that was exactly what was spent. It’s a lot of propaganda. It is after all these things that I sat down and said, wait a minute, if the reason I was excited and I was jumping and calling this man my president and singing for him was because he left money in the treasury, I think he fooled me successfully. Money was not meant to be left in the treasury. While he left billions in the treasury, Katsina people were busy selling firewood for survival. The man who squanders resources and the man who is stingy with it and does not touch it are two sides of the same coin. I think he is happy as he sees money rising up without being deployed to provide what they call democracy dividends to the poor people of our nation. My personal regret is that I expected too much and I am totally disappointed. This government diverted money meant for education and health towards building a five-lane road into Abuja that was not in the budget. Diverting funds of education and health into that kind of project when it is not that there’s so much traffic or there are no existing roads shows what the government’s priority is. Of what use is the money he left in the treasury of the state he served?
We have now found out that the greatest smuggler in the North is his best friend. And all the looters of our treasury before he became president are all round him. Show me your friend and I will tell who you are. You can’t lie down with dogs and not get up with fleas.

Q: How would you rate government’s efforts at fighting corruption?

A: Government’s crusade against corruption or government’s efforts at establishing corruption as a culture? When the likes of Ibori walk free in this nation and no one can touch them and Aondoakaa will not cooperate with anything that will touch Ibori? As we read, except we’re being misinformed by the press, they put Aondoakaa there. You should just say campaign for corruption.

Q: Many Nigerians feel that the Obasanjo administration was corrupt and rudderless and that the Yar’Adua administration should, at least, probe him. Are you not disappointed that it has not happened?

A: Did you expect this man to probe Obasanjo? He gave him power just to watch his back. Did he qualify? Was there any election? Would you expect the governor of Lagos, with all his zeal in the right direction and all the wonderful things he appears to be doing for the benefit of the people in Lagos, to probe Asiwaju Bola Tinubu? I’m not assuming or saying there’s something to probe, but if you ride to power on my back, you’ll be careful what you do because I could remove my back. So, I am not disappointed that Yar’Adua is not probing. It’s obvious why he cannot. It’s unlike a military regime that comes with ruthlessness to discredit the outgoing one and then performs worse until another one will come. Nigeria has been bedevilled by these prodigals. If Obasanjo was blatantly corrupt, I think Obasanjo administration is the type that calls the thief to come and steal and calls the owner to come and see. That is if he’s not interested in the thief anymore. I think Obasanjo just passed the baton to a man who cannot do anything about corruption and is even protecting those who have been accused of corruption.

Q: Was that why he had to treat Nuhu Ribadu the way he did?

A: Perhaps so. They have their own allegations against Ribadu, but Ribadu as a human being could have made some mistakes. He made some efforts at bringing sanity into public sector. For once, he touched the untouchables. And for once, he displayed a level of fearlessness and fairness to the best of his ability until they found out that they needed to nip this man in the bud. They thought that at the rate at which he was going, he might jolly well become the head of state. And they did all in their power to frustrate him until he fled the country. But our loss is the international community’s gain because I don’t think Ribadu is eating from hand to mouth. He’s being consulted by those who want probity in their public life. And I am still watching and waiting to see where this tree of Ibori will fall. Whether his people are brought back to face the law here or one day, he is taken out to face the law. If the likes of Anthony Enahoro were extradited, based on an agreement between us and Britain, anything is possible. Until those daylight robbers who have stolen this nation to a bleeding point, a profusely bleeding point, are dealt with, don’t listen to anyone who says there’s a campaign against corruption. There’s campaign for corruption and they’re all benefiting from it. And that’s why legislators are now looking for immunity.

Q: But the President does not appear to be in favour of immunity and has said it is not necessary….

A: Why didn’t he do something about it. He only said it. If you are serious, take action. Remove that immunity if you’re serious about it; don’t talk about it. Did he do anything about it? Don’t believe them. Integrity is the best immunity anybody can have. No law can give it to you and no law can take it away from you.

Q: What is your assessment of the National Assembly?
A: What do they assemble there? Completely knocked down vehicles or what? Just tell me.

Q: Laws.

A: What law? What law have they made in recent times that they can say this is one law they’ve made that is not retrogressive; that is in the interest of the people of this country in the area of education, for instance. Maybe I live in my own cocoon and don’t have understanding. Why would nothing be done about the most important things? Look at electoral reforms. Instead of doing something about that, they are busy with who will or who will not be the chairman. These are men who are only interested in themselves.

Q: The federal government has been congratulating itself on the amnesty programme in the Niger Delta. What will you suggest for the post-amnesty period?

A: What is amnesty? They use phrases that we just take from their mouths and dance. By definition, amnesty is a legislative act to pardon political prisoners. So, where are the political prisoners that they have pardoned? If you’re saying amnesty, it means they have found them guilty, they are in prison and are now pardoned. That’s the definition of amnesty. When I played football or table tennis as a young child, I would run away if I saw my parents or elderly people, who would think I should be studying. Children would see older people and run. Amnesty is older people seeing children and running. It’s because all the military might and all the exploitation and oppression have failed and the men had taken to arms to defend what is legitimately theirs. That is the why the government is now saying amnesty. If they put $50 million dollars there, it would disappear as it did in OMPADEC (the defunct Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission) or Niger Delta Development Commission or whatever was established. The reason we are probably paying attention to them and looking for peace at all costs is because of the international pressure, our partners in development and trade, the oil companies and above all, the fact that these guys are ready to blow everything. And this is what the North, East, West and South depend upon. So, it’s like saying let us appeal to them. I’m not against peace. But peace is not the absence of tension. It’s the presence of justice. There could be criminals among these people.

There could be those who are hiding under the guise of freedom to do all kinds of criminal things. But what is the cause?
Have you been to that area? I’ve been to Opobo Kingdom. After Opobo, the next place is the Atlantic Ocean. What is there? Let’s hope that the peace that we have now will produce some progress in the environment. We’ll be able to distinguish the governor who has been hiding under militancy from the one who really means well for the people. OMPADEC made billionaires out of ruthless people in this country, without any concrete development on ground. It is the same way they will share any money that is provided for the development of the place.

The fact is that the government has robbed the people of what is legitimately theirs. In the days of groundnut pyramids, nobody piped groundnut. In the days of cocoa boom, nobody piped cocoa to Kaduna. Now, we are not only piping what is their own natural resource to other parts of the country, which is good enough, but we are not developing the source that is producing that. Rather, we maim, kill and silence the people and we think we can continue forever. When you meet daredevils, you would backtrack and retrace your steps. This President is helpless and the amnesty is just an attempt to buy time. The money you’ve introduced into the environment will buy more arms. If there’s no further development, it’s all talk and no action. You must know the people who released the arms did not release everything. They are not stupid. You think they submitted all? Would you do that?

There is a worry over the lack of credible opposition to the Peoples Democratic Party, which seems like an unstoppable train as we approach 2011.
Many years ago, the British administration wanted to come to Abeokuta for taxation. The means of getting there was train. The Egba warriors removed the rail! You can check in history. We were the first people granted independence in Nigeria. Long before then, there was the Oyo rule and the Ajeles of Oyo (tax collectors) came to Abeokuta. Until Lisabi started the Egbe Aaro, a sort of a cooperative, which demanded that all the men should take turns to help themselves on their respective farms. So, about 200-250 strong men would visit your farm and help you cultivate. Then you would also visit other people’s farms and cultivate. Lisabi was their leader and they asked him when they were going to his farm. He said he could take care of his farm. He said he had only one land to till. The farm, he told them, was the visit of the Ajeles. He said any Ajele that showed up should be killed. That was what they did. From that day, no Ajele tax collector from Oyo ever visited Abeokuta again. And as a matter of fact, the present Alaafin of Oyo was raised in the palace of Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, a former Alake of Egbaland. What am I trying to say? A time is coming when a people will say enough is enough. Go to biblical history. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, King of Israel came to the throne and he said: ‘My small finger is thicker than the loin of my father. If my father beat you with whips, I’ll beat you with scorpion.’ And they rose up and said: ‘To your tents, oh Israel!’ Rehoboam wanted to go and fight, but God sent a prophet to him. The bible says when you see oppression and violent perversion of justice and judgment in a province, do not marvel. Higher officials are set over higher officials and higher officials are set over them. There’s a syndicate.

But they are not going to have it forever. You’ll see the people rising up and saying wait a minute, let’s unblock the minds of our people, let them know that these things are theirs; that it’s the tail that is wagging the dog and not the dog wagging the tail.

Sovereignty is not in the hand of Yar’Adua. It’s not in the parliament. It’s in the people of this country. But because they have monopoly of violence and they have ganged up to continue to hold Nigeria in their grip, they think it will continue endlessly. It’s not going to be forever. Don’t underestimate the resolve of a people who have been oppressed for too long. So PDP is not an unstoppable train. And if it is, it cannot remain from East to West, North to South, on the rail permanently. Even if its a moving train and the rail is removed, it’s going to derail. The attempt to start a mega- party is also an exercise in futility because there is no difference between PDP and the other parties.

Q: In an interview published a few months ago, you were unflattering in your assessment of today’s church, describing it as a theatre. Why did you do this?

A: You go to the theatre for amusement or relaxation. You want to be entertained. But the Church of Jesus Christ was not designed to be a theatre where one celebrity performs and the others are just spectators. In most churches today, one lone star rises and others come to watch him perform. That is not church the way Jesus established it. The purpose of the five-fold ministry that he handed over to the apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry so that they should only come here (church) to refuel and go out to actually carry out what they have learnt. If you run a church where on Sunday, people come for service; on Monday, they come for special meeting; on Tuesday, they come for another thing; on Wednesday, they have Bible study; on Friday, they have special prayer and on Saturday, they have house fellowship, where are they going to live the life? Everything is tied around the building. You know a good church if the building does not exist and the church continues. And I’m not trying to say one church is better than another. When they mention Latter Rain Assembly, what name comes to your mind? Tunde Bakare. When they mention the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, it is Adeboye. If they say Deeper Life, it is Kumuyi. That is not church. That is superstardom.

Q: That sounds like celebrity Christianity.

A: It is. What should happen is when they mention the Redeemed Christian Church of God, you should think of a people that believe in what God has given as a vision to that place and are willing to defend it with their lives. We have many churches, but a negligible amount of righteousness in our land. The recent banking crisis revealed that some prominent Christians were among those who caused it. And so you wonder what is the benefit of holiness, of sanctification and righteousness. We are supposed to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth.

Why would this happen? Because pastors don’t even care where their people get the money. Just bring it and let life continue. How many pastors ask for the source of the money followers give? Most of these treasury looters and robbers sit in the front row of our churches and donate the largest amounts and pastors don’t care. They’ll even be praying for them like some people pray for armed robbers. That’s why I said the church has become a theatre: a place where people come to amuse themselves. Because they don’t know that the church is a war zone, where soldiers of the cross are trained. It’s where the standard of discipleship is raised; where you become an agent for change in a nation. I’m not talking of rascality. I’m not saying let’s go on the streets and be displaying rascality. I’m talking of constructive engagement and constructive dismantling of the oppressive forces over our nation. It is not only about praying, but having a head-on collision with them and calling a spade a spade. If that’s the role the church had been playing in Nigeria, we wouldn’t be in this mess. But we’ll rather take them to a side and tell them to come to a particular location once a week or once a month to get special prayer and lay empty hands on empty heads. That’s not Christ, that’s not church.

The once-a-month special prayer you mentioned brings to memory your criticism of the Lekki 98 programme of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. You’ve also criticised the yearly Shiloh programme organised by Bishop Oyedepo’s Winners’ Chapel.

How did I criticise that? You have to remind me because I will not even dignify that (Shiloh) by a comment. I’m not criticising them. For the Redeemed Church, the theme was the visitation of God or something to that effect; so that you don’t miss the day of your visitation.

And I said this is how you know if people are backward. Is He visiting us now or does He want habitation after He had died and He has risen from the dead and He’s now in heaven and the Holy Ghost is here? It’s no longer time of visitation that you might be built up a habitation of God. A visitor is different from one who is inhabiting. Because He’s a visitor, He comes and goes. That’s why people don’t have His presence to carry Him in their hearts. It’s not an empty criticism, it’s just that you know how we as a people are. That’s all.

Q: Why are you saying Oyedepo’s Shiloh does not merit a comment?

A: I’m not dignifying it with a comment because there’s no difference between him or whoever is perpetrating the things they are doing and the man they’re trying to crucify called T.B Joshua. What’s the difference in their practices? Very little. The Christianity of chattels, of oil, of mantle, of washing of feet? Where are those things? They should show it to me in the Bible. And I can tell you where it is from. ‘Is any among you sick, let him call for the elders of the church.’ Do you know it was written to Jews in Diaspora. Besides that, ‘is any among you sick, having called the elders of the church, let them anoint the sick with oil and pray over the sick.’ You want me to read it?

Q: Yes.

A: Okay. At least we’re beginning to learn little by little so that you don’t think we’re hotheads, just not seeing anything good in other people.

Q: That’s the impression people have.

A: Well, anybody who criticises others just for criticising sake is sick because the critical spirit itself is evidence of false ministry. I’m not a town crier. In the course of life, Oyedepo and I had been in the same hotel suite–he and his wife in one room, myself and my wife in another. We were meeting and praying until during the Gulf War, I said you’re departing from the faith; you’re bringing in substitutes. This is not Christianity that we received and some people must rise in the defence of the Gospel and contend for the faith that was once given to the saints. That’s what the Bible says. It says contend, fight for it.

Because they’re one generation away from paganism. The pre-conversion disposition of these people from ‘Aladura’ churches and those who were raised in such environments have now being carried in so that people now go to work with mantle in their pocket and they take photographs to hit the mantle. I know how many converts from them have left because they are now seeing the truth. These are my friends, we took sweet counsel together. Let God be God and let every man be a man whether I’m a critical person that has no brain or just pulling down every man’s house. How can you pull other people’s house down and yours will stand if that is the agenda?

But let me read this to you because I want to first and foremost show you something. ‘James, a born servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes, which are scattered abroad.’ Are you part of the twelve tribes?

Q: No.

A: Okay. It’s because it’s their culture. You see it in Mark Chapter 6 that they were the ones that took oil. It’s part of their culture because they lived in open space and if you rub yourself with oil, mosquitoes and things like that would not bite you. That’s the medicine they had in their day. Now, in Chapter 5, the Bible says: ‘Is anyone among you suffering, let him pray; is anyone cheerful, let him sing Psalms. Is anyone among you sick (from verse 13), let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.’ Now, would that heal him? Let’s read further. ‘And the prayer of faith will save (not heal) the sick.’ It’s like a wounded soldier that is taken from the firing range.

That prayer of faith would stop the attack that is coming, but only one thing will heal him. Not the oil, not just the prayer of faith. ‘The prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much, makes available tremendous power of God.’ Now, are all the people that you give oil to carry about elders? The truth is you sell the oil to them. At the point that I really got beside myself, so to say, was when Oyedepo said that the anointing oil is not the symbol of the Holy Spirit, but the life of God in the bottle. I tore the book openly that this is heresy, this is error, this is taking advantage of people. And after that we met; we met abroad and Oyedepo said: ‘Look, what I didn’t like, really, was my book that you tore.” I said David, I didn’t tear your book. I bought it; it is mine. You wrote it. I tore the book I bought because it contained an error.

If the Holy Spirit is oil, then Jesus is a Lamb of God on four legs. He was never human. These are metaphors and symbols until the real thing would come. You don’t get the substance and pursue shadow. The Holy Spirit has come in person and He is dwelling with us today. Tell people to live right, to eat right and to drink clean water. Tell them to take advantage of medicine when it is necessary. Jesus said they that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. Here I am, and you can ask him also and all these men who will tell you fast and pray, if they don’t use vitamins, eat good food and live in clean environments. Why are you fooling people that all things are in prayer, prayer, prayer, prayer, prayer. I pray, I believe in God and I believe in miracles. I’ve seen miracles happen. But I will not take advantage of a person.

Q: What was Oyedepo’s reaction when you made your observations known to him about this perceived heresy? Was there a debate of some sort?

A: No, I will tell you how it happened. I really do not want to be dragged into this because it’s in the past. But for the benefit of the public, I will tell you what happened. Between 1994-1996, I was not physically present on a daily basis in Nigeria. I was in England. I was travelling with my mentor, Dr. Lester Sumral of blessed memory now. Sumral and I were travelling, to Europe and the rest of the world to do mission work. And in 1996, to be precise, I organised a global mission conference here, when we brought all missionaries on the West African coast to nurture, encourage and strengthen them so that they could re-equip and have materials to go back to the field. They were not necessarily Nigerians. Many of them were from abroad, many from West Africa. Oyedepo, being my friend, sent his books here and the books were being sold in our bookshop. This is how I got to know this. And God is witness, and he knows too. The missionaries bought some of the books. The day they brought the books to me, I just told the bookshop to take them and pay whatever it had to pay and then, the bookshop could sell them.

Q: These people carried the materials away. And the head of their organisation, Living Word Missions, called me on phone after the conference and I was in Britain. He said: ‘Why did you allow occultic books to be sold in your church?’

A: I said occultic books? Impossible. He said there were two books that people bought and had been complaining about. One is written by one David Oyedepo, the other by his wife. And they were on communion and oil. I asked what was wrong about communion. I said it’s one of the things that Jesus left for the saints and that oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. He said I had not read the book. I asked him to send me the relevant pages of the books by fax or by e-mail. I thought it could be some people doing mischief. I believed the mistakes must have been made by those who edited the books. That was my thought. These are men we pray together. We didn’t get born-again because we wanted money. I didn’t come into ministry because I wanted money. God blessed me before I came into the ministry. So, the pages were sent to me. I said no, this cannot be. When I read the one that says oil is not the symbol of the Holy Spirit, but the life of God in the bottle, I said this cannot be. I also read the portion that says you can take communion and fly like a bird. I said wait a minute, this is extending truth beyond its limits. So, on my next visit to Nigeria, I requested for the books to match them with the copies I had so I could be sure that nobody was playing a cruel joke on me. Immediately I saw it, the first thing I did was to call Oyedepo. They said he was not available, but that his wife was available. I asked to speak with the wife on the phone. And they said oh, she just stepped out.

I said no problem. In handwritten form, I sent him a fax. Those were not the days you leave messages for people. Phones were not common. So, I sent a fax saying I thought those editing his books were adding garbage in them. I said we needed to meet. There was no response. There is a pastor in his organisation, his name is now Dr. Robert Johnson. We called him Abdullahi. That was his name. He came here. I spoke into two tapes to do a critique and I gave to Abdullahi, who is now Dr. Johnson. He has left his organisation now. I said ‘could you give this to him so that we can meet to talk’. And response came to me that he said these were revelations given to him by God, as God gave revelation to Paul. At that point, I took a step further. I was in America and I was in the house of Wale Oke.

I’m mentioning names because if you want to lie, you don’t have anyone to mention. I said Wale Oke, this is what I’ve seen. Wale Oke and I were in the university together. He said he had also seen it. He said he had gone to him but this was the response. I said if he is teaching heresy to his people, it doesn’t matter to me. But the moment he put it in print form, on radio or television, he is poisoning the public water. Some of us will have to rise up. So, I started a series called the Synagogue of Satan. And I began to deal with those issues, bringing truth.

Because you don’t just shout that piece of stick is crooked. Lay the stick on its side, all eyes will see it. That was what began. And Bishop Mike Okonkwo now met me in Ghana and said don’t let us wash our dirty linen in public. I asked what he had done about it. He said he had gone to Oyedepo, who insisted that it was the revelation that he received from God. I said Mike, if you see me on top of my secretary, not my wife, and I said I’ve just got a revelation from God, will you leave me to die in sin?

When it got hot, he began to curse and swear that my television ministry will go off-air in Nigeria; that I will not have money. There was no curse he didn’t place. Whether that’s the truth or not, time will tell.

Why do I mention names? I’m not doing to so to be a critic. I have a clear agenda and I have a clear mind. If you teach and say to your wife that while you are eating, your wife should not eat and sit down, it’s your home. But don’t extend it to me and raise my children that way. Then you’re looking for trouble. If you teach your people error and they believe in it, it’s between you and them.

But don’t put it in the public arena. I have responsibility over those that look up to me, over those that I pastor and over those that benefit from knowing the truth. It is going to create conflict. There is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism, one God, father of all, who is in you all, through you all. When I was a Muslim, on Juma’at day, when they said Allah U Akbar, we all bowed. You don’t know who is Ansar-Ud-Deen or Nawar-Ud-Deen or Islamiyat. But here we are talking one Christ and seven different ideologies about one thing. So, we must know what is the truth. That is our passion; that is the reason to warn people that these are the apostates and they are only interested in the gospel of wealth.

Q: We’ve seen churches setting up universities with contributions from members, most of whom are unable to afford fees charged by these institutions. What do you make of this?

A: A good leader does not make unnecessary comments. And I’m not trying to say amongst thieves there must be honour. That’s not what I’m saying. I do not know where they got their resources from. It could be bank loans. They could have sourced funds to do it. I am not aware. If you have proof, let me know.

However, I was asked this same question by Newswatch. And I said it is not a new thing. Emory University was set up by the Methodist Church. Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, were all established through Christian initiatives, to raise the standard of education and create an environment that would not be permeated by occultism. That’s the reason for Christian initiative in education. If the government cannot deliver in that sector properly, private initiatives must place. And these universities don’t charge pittance.

But if these universities are missionary endeavours, they should have a human face to the extent that even pastors labouring in such ministries should enjoy some benefit and scholarship for their children. Because they labour side by side with you, I would think that’s what a normal, rational person would do. But these, if you examine them, are not missionary endeavours to raise the standard of education and to benefit people. I think they are just a business venture. And every man in business wants to maximise profit.

Q: What is the position of Christianity on tithing because some argue that it doesn’t have a place in Christianity?

A: I don’t have an opinion. I live by the book. I’ll tell you what is in the book. The first man to pay tithe was Abraham, when he met Melchizedek. And when he gave that tithe, the book of Hebrews says even Levi, who became a priest later, paid tithe while he was still in the loins of his father, Abraham. So, there was tithe before the law. There was tithe during the law. And Christ Jesus now came and said, this you ought to do, but you neglect the weightier matters of the law. This you ought to do and the other you do not neglect. If you are asking what is the agreed position in the New Testament, listen to Paul in I Corinthians Chapter 16, verse 1. At least I’m not reading from the Old Testament. I can tell you by the grace of God that at the Latter Rain Assembly, you can come and watch us, stay for about five or six weeks, you will not hear such a thing mentioned. You will know a church by the time you worship there for six or seven weeks.

We encourage our people because even the running of the place requires support of those who are worshipping there. Do you belong to any club or organisation? To join Ikoyi Club 1938, there are fees. It is the abuse that is the problem because it must come from your heart. Melchizedek did not demand tithe from Abraham. It was what Abraham did willingly. My opinion is that let every man be persuaded in his own heart. If it is not honour, then it is robbery. What the Bible says is honour the Lord with your susbstance and the first fruits of your increase so that your barns may be full. It has to be honour. It is the same word you use for your parents. The first time I gave my mother an allowance was when I was a Youth Corper. I gave her N50 out of my N200 monthly allowance because I was the only one she depended on. And from that year till today, my mother’s monthly allowance has increased, although I won’t tell you how much she gets now. She was 100 in October. I lost my father when I was two years old. So God allowed my mother to stay to see me through. Would I neglect my mother? So also will I not neglect the God who is the source of everything I have. But it has to be a matter of honour. There are three priesthoods in the Bible. The priesthood of Midian, the Levitical priesthood and the Melchizedek priesthood.

This is what is causing the problem. The priesthood of Midian is that of Jethro, the father in-law of Moses. It deals with strategies, administration and dedication of duties. It teaches you how to delegate so that you are not overworked. It does not raise sons, it raises workers. So in such ministries where Jethro principle is what they’re following, you’ll be hearing workers, workers, workers, instead of raising sons of God.

Leviticus priesthood is mainly about offering. And remember they were in the wilderness; no supermarket, no work and they didn’t go anywhere. There was nowhere to spend all the money they took from Egypt. So, it’s offering in the morning, offering at night and offering in the evening. When you find a ministry whose major emphasis is bring, bring, give, give, its the Levitical priesthood. They are still in the wilderness. But we have moved out of the wilderness. The priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ Christ, according to Hebrew 6, 7 up to 8, is after the order of Melchizedek who was already a king before he met Abraham. He did not need the offering of Abraham to be king. So those who are practising Melchizedek priesthood do not depend on their congregation. They don’t wait because they are lazy for them to go and work and bring resources to them. They also labour with their own hands to have resources and when the church contributes, they probably contribute more. You can find out these things. So it depends on which priesthood is being practised.

Tithes are to be used to take care of widows, the helpless, and services in the house of God. Why should they come to you to say we want to pay NEPA bills, we want to pay church staff? People that are working in the ministry have to be paid and the organisation has to be run. But it’s never compulsory. If anybody tells you if you don’t pay tithe you will remain tight, greed in his heart is influencing that because Christ has become the cross for us. For it is written: ‘Cursed is anyone that hangs on the tree that the blessing of Abraham now come upon the Gentile’ If it is from your heart, like it was with Abraham, it will bring blessings. But if it is teleguided, it is no longer spirit-led and does not activate anything in heaven. I think what is causing it is that we embark on projects God did not give to us and put ourselves under financial pressure, which we transmit to people. Do I pay tithe? Definitely. But I don’t make it a law for everybody. I do from my earnings because I don’t depend on church offerings. My hands, like Paul’s, provided for my necessities. I pay my tax like any other citizen of this country. I pay from my legitimate earnings. If I have to wait for them to give on Sundays before I send my children to school and eat, then something is wrong. If this church folds up, I cannot live anymore. And in a depressed economy, so many churches have opened up that are not at the instance of the Holy Spirit.

Q: You were once with the Redeemed Christian Church of God and you were among the youths who started the model parishes. Why did you leave?

A: I had kept quite hitherto. And because if you don’t let sleeping dogs lie and you don’t allow lying dogs to sleep, they will continue to bark. Let’s back-track. I got born-again on 24 September 1974 in the Baptist Church. I remained in the Baptist Church until I became a youth pastor. And if you go to Yaba Baptist Church, you will see my name on their plaque. While I was in there, I started attending Monday Bible study at Deeper Life, just to deepen my knowledge. Deeper Life was not a church then. And I stayed in Deeper Life for five years. While I was in the University of Lagos, I was attending Foursquare, being mentored by Dr. Odunaike. I knew him at close range, up to his bedroom. When Deeper Life started as a church, I was invited to be among the core leadership and I stayed there as national legal adviser for five years before I left for the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG. My first visit to the Redeemed Church was on the first Sunday of March, 1984. It was my photographer who invited me. At that point in time, I had reached the point where I said I was tired of churches. It was as if what they were saying and what they were doing were miles apart. I told myself I would not go to church any longer. I remember Brother Kumuyi sending for me and saying: ‘You left Deeper Life for the Redeemed Christian Church of God. You have just jumped from frying pan to fire.’ This is the first time I’m saying this in the open. I said if the fire burned me, I would warm myself in it because I was tired of what I was seeing here because I didn’t see them in scriptures. I didn’t get born-again in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. I didn’t get baptised in the Holy Ghost in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. I had served in leadership capacity in different churches ever before I came to the Redeemed Church. That’s why I say you can’t say I am one of the youths that started this. That is one.

Two, the first day I got to RCCG, Pastor Adeboye was looking for professionals. And when they said all God’s children should wait, I told my fiancee, now my wife, that they were talking to their members. And she said we should wait till the end. I sat there, at the back. Pastor Adeboye said: ‘That brother in blue white blue.’ I said: ‘Me?’ He said: ‘What’s your profession?’ I said: ‘I’m a lawyer.’ He told me to see him that day.

I was running away from responsibilities in the church and I ran into another one. I went to see him and he said the church had some cases in court. I handled them free of charge. His approach was really gentlemanly and I thought I should give him a chance. That was how I started in that church. The first house I ever built in my life is at the Redemption Camp. I built it in 1986-87. I built it to just live there and serve God. I didn’t want to be a pastor. I’m a trained lawyer. I trained under Gani and trained under Rotimi Williams. I wanted to practise my profession. I had three things at the back of my mind in my life: to be a successful legal practitioner, to get to the peak of my career and to be a successful millionaire. And by 1986/87, I already had seven lawyers in my chambers, working full-time. I won my first Appeal Court case on my 21st day at the bar. I learnt under the masters. That’s why Gani’s death shook me. If you see some of the books Gani wrote, you will see my name in them. He dedicated some of them to me, to our industry while we were with him, before I crossed to Chief Rotimi Williams’ chambers and later to start my own practice. I was doing business. I brought Skoda into Nigeria. I had factories in Nigeria and I was doing well in international trade. I wanted to use both law and business to go into politics. That was my triangle. I feel lazy souls look for ways and means of manipulating people for what they cannot get through their own skills. God blessed what I was doing. And if it’s the other way round, time will tell because the records are there of my giving to the church. I remember my external auditor, Mr. Dupe Adubiaro, who is still in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and who is the chairman of their building committee in Festac. I took him to Redeemed. He’s my external auditor till today. He’s the one preparing my tax papers. He came one day and said at the rate you’re going, you will go bankrupt because every cheque I see is to the church. I said I don’t give people my money; I give it to God, whenever there is need in the house of God. Secondly, the vision for the model parishes was given to me, not to Pastor Adeboye, regardless of all propaganda and lies you have heard. It was on 3rd of May 1988 that God gave me the vision. There was no other person in the place where God gave it to me. I went to Ladipo Oluwole Street. And I have witnesses. One of them is dead, two are alive. Babalola, who was electrician in the church; Olufunlayo, who was the builder that built my house at the camp; and Olugbemi, a painter in that church, who has left now to start his own church. They were the three people I took to this building and we started. It was the fourth day and I said, wait a minute, I’ve not told Pastor Adeboye what God told me. And they took me in their car and we rushed to the camp and Pastor Adeboye came the following day. And when he saw what I was doing, he said: ‘What would you call this?’ God is witness and let God be the judge of every man in life. I said: ‘Sir, I have no desire to be a pastor. I received this vision that what you are doing can never catapult the gospel to the nations of the earth. Because everything is marooned in Ebutte Metta among the old (what they called classical). And it’s like reading the Bible upside down.’

I asked how we could reach the next generation and suggested that we should call this Model Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. The concept then was to have one Model Parish in every city. So, we did one in Lagos and we did one in Ibadan until 1 October 1988, when God said my time was up. And I told only two people that day. Tony Rapu and Niyi Adefowope, who were MC’s at my annual El-Shaddai Day for my chambers. And we do that El-Shaddai feast once a year. Instead of giving bribes to civil servants, I’ll call them together once a year, give them a feast and bless them. I’m writing my memoirs and one of the chapters is titled The Model Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God: Fiction and Facts. If you have heard all kinds of lies and propaganda that were issued out, falsehood may go for years, when the arrow of truth shoots, there will be no trace of falsehood. That’s why I will mention persons and names so that these things can be verified at the right time. I left them when God said it was time to move. And I went to Adeboye to tell him. And what he said to me, which we call the 14 points, are all written. He had a copy, I have a copy. That’s why when I publish my memoirs, you will not find me saying ‘I think God said’ and ‘I think this is it.’ I would tell you what happened.

I am a student of history and I am a lawyer by discipline. I’m not trying to expose anyone, but we better leave lying dogs to sleep or allow sleeping dogs to lie or else when they begin to bark, they will bite. I remember immediately I left, they quickly groomed Tony to take my position. One professional has gone, then another.

Q: Where’s Tony? Is he still there? Or are the two of us imbeciles?

A: Your wife is not visible unlike the wives of other pastors. Is this deliberate or is she just a reclusive person?
I would want you to ask her directly, but she is not in the country. We have five children. You look in the Bible and you see Eli. Have you ever heard Mrs. Eli? Did you see Mrs. Samuel? I’m not saying women should not be in the ministry. Those who are called by God to serve in pastoral capacity in churches side by side with their wife should receive that call and fulfil it. But my wife does not become a pastor because I’m a pastor. It’s the same mentality that the head of state’s wife must be first lady and must have an office. No. The call of God can be upon a family, can be upon an individual. My wife supports me absolutely. Did she play roles when she was here? Yes. But we have five children. Who wants to save the world and lose his own children? So, we decided that she would hold the home front. I don’t think I’ll be what I am without a solid wife behind me. She’s not a nuisance or somebody that can be silenced. She functions in the areas that she has received grace.

Any animal with two heads is a monster. Your wife does not become a co-pastor because you are a pastor. There’s no such thing in the Bible. If not, Peter’s wife should have been a pastor. So should have been the wives of others who were married. It’s just a mess that is in the world.

hmmmmmmm this is absolutely the truth pastor Tunde Bakare May God continue to bless and keep u safe and your family in Jesus name, i love you somuch you are my teacher, mentor and my father in christ God has use u to transform my life to know the truth about God and to know that we can always win by righteousness. God bless u sir i love you so much.

Do you know the so called mantle users are now tying hankerchief in their home, cars, shops as a protection? and there is no amount of restrain you teach them they cannot hear because they are brainwashed. What difference btw them and idol worshippers. The spirit of antichrist is here.

First of all i need to thank almighty God for the life of poeple like Desalu and Pastor Tunde Bakare the only solution to the problem of our country can only be solve by God let me only asked you a Q is their any man of GOD? in as much as d so call general overeverything fail to tell them the truth they keep on takin their BENEFITfrom them Nigeria cannot change Paul appostle accussed Peter in public of being an hypocrate to me i dont see the difference between our Senators , house of robbery , the president and our GO’S

this is not just an interview, but a message. i agree with ur comment that pst Tunde might just be the martin Luther of out time…that is the nigeria version. actually, this stuff is a must read by a lot of people. when Pst Tunde accepted to be the running mate of buhari i was not happy. but thank God he said God did not ask him to, but that he saw it as an opprtunity to want to serve the country. i can understand his passion. in fact i feel people like him do not have any business contesting, because we need him to stay in his post as a critic. one way to help our dear country out of the woods, is to have two brand of xtains… cos it is not the unbelievers that will help Nigeria. it is xtains… God will need to raise both foot soldiers and does who will pray. we’ve prayed enough… we need fearless people like Pst Tunde to help coordinate and marshal the foot soldiers. After or during the current fuel subsidy protest, Pst Tunde came under heavy criticism by even pastors…what a shame… what they could not do since they share from the lot, the wanton stealing.. he did.. we need him…and the likes of part utomi…they should trust God to help educate young ones and see how they can take over the legislation of this country…first at the assembly level…from state to national and influence our constitution… because the constitution is one instrument supporting corruption in Nigeria. Pst Tunde Bakare and Pat Utomi, and may be Chris okotie and others should stop thinking that becoming the president of nigeria is what best they can do to salvage nigeria. no, if they become, what happens to the constitution, which is weak and aids the rich to continue to be rich? so we need them to help grow the space of our public opinion (po)… which growth keep fluntuating. After babagida step aside by this force (po), it literally cease to exists. so pls help communicate this to this precious people. we need them… i keep saying it, ICPC and EFCC cannot fight corruption; the constitution is too weak to do so…so, it is only the masses who can do it…but we need leaders to fill this position: to marshal the masses to do this… just imagine the effect of 6days protest in lagos… en solders on lies were sent to lagos and are still they by lies cos they now no that yes dey can’t take the masses for a ride…
Long leave nigeria and may the Church in Nigeria rise again to her responsibilities ijn…

People never wants to hear the truth, He Tunde Bakare said it all; i love is teachings almost like Jesus taught his disciples, because he emphasize on the truth and the truth is the Word of God, which is the Light and the Light is the Life of Humanity.

Thou, i will say he ought not to mention somethings; doing that makes people think other pastors are inferior and that makes him superior but THE TRUTH IS ALL WHAT HE SAID.

I got born again in the year 2010, after reconsidering my steps, i planned to change, i attended a church that they believe in the bible but hardly work with the bible, they so much trust in prophecies but have forgotten that ALL WORKS WITH FAITH, like the Woman with the issue of blood, Jesus said Woman your faith have made you heal. And i am a kind of person that Loves to get the fact from the bible. I read the bible a lot and always pray for understanding.

I never for once like TB, until recent when he contested for the presidency; i heard false rumor about him including on-line but one thing i know then is that there is No Perfect Person, No Perfect Church, even No Prefect Angel e.g Lucifer..Job 4 vs 16-18.

I started focusing my attention on him to know who this man truly his; i know he his a pastor and he his rich but what makes people still listen to him, then i sat down on Sundays by 6:00pm to watch him on Channels TV. and i now know that ALL HE TEACHES PEOPLE ON IS WHAT I BELIEVE IN, “THE WORD OF GOD”. He always emphasize that people should read their bible to understand the way of God through Christ Jesus instead of letting some man of God push you around.

I am a person that read the bible a lot as i have said earlier, and when the Spirit of God tells me to open that chapter, i go straight and open it, i so much believe that the scripture contains everything, and it was my frequent reading of the bible that makes me to understand that PRAYER IS TO BE OFFER IN FAITH THAT WHAT WE PRAYED FOR WE HAPPEN, James 1:6. i don’t trouble my self when am in problem, i just prayed and have the faith that is is done, just like Ephesians 4:4 said “In all supplications and prayer tell God what you want”.

TB, is a man of the Word of God and we that know the truth, the truth set us free, I HATE TO GO TO CHURCH AND WE ARE COMPEL TO BUY A WATER OF 50 NAIRA @ THE RATE OF 100 NAIRA FOR WHAT?. It is not that i am been stingy but if i wanted to give it should be from my heart.

Nobody is perfect, including me, but with the Grace of God, we are brought back by Mercy, PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT IN BEHAVIORS, SOME ARE RASCAL, SOME ARE GENTLE, BUT ONE THING I SEE THAT WORKS THROUGH PASTOR ADEBOYE, KUMUYI, BAKARE, OYEDEPO AND SO ON IS THE BELIEVE THEY HAVE IN THE POWERFUL NAME OF JESUS AND THE FEAR OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.

PERSONALLY:
I believe so much in the Teaching of Christ and all Churches should endeavor to teach their members on how to be dependent on God for Help. Many need to read a lot of their bible in other to understand a lot, and i prayed that God grant you the understanding of the Scripture and open your eyes to witness the Truth. AMEN.

this is really thought provoking and a revelation truth in a country like ours. I pray that God raise up men of character, honour and integrity to work in his vineyard and expose those that are preaching false Gospel.

God bless you for posting this. Also thank you so much Babajide for doing what you do, like you said in one of your posts, I have to be honest, I have not seen any other blog out there that is able to bring to light the issues you talk about and give others an avenue to gain knowledge. Furthermore, you are a fantastic writer.

So Tunde, I am glad about your comments, because you speak the truth. You see I have been a beliver for a while, based in Nigeria, before I recently moved to the UK. I have been part of the generation who hear from the preachers mouth and not going to the scriptures to read for myself and understand the context for which these scriptures represent.

But over the last few months, I started a personal journey and started to question certain messages coming from the church, so I started to read the New testament for the beginning and i am half way now. Oh my goodness Tunde!!!, its the most wonderful thing ever and I dare anyone here to please go and read the whole new testament and read Pastor Tunde’s Interview again. He only speaks the Truth.

There are so many things in the church today which have no foundation in the word of God, most of them have been taken out of context and adapted to fit many circumstances which in actual fact have no relation. I have now seen the truth and know it for myself. The Bible says if you are truly religious, give to the fatherless, homeless, those in prison and the poor. That is what the message is all about, giving to the needy in love, not under compulsion, but from our hearts.

I now find myself in a dilemma, because once you discover the truth in the New testament, you then find it hard to walk outside the truth any more. The church I attend here believes in certain things I now know have no foundation in the Bible and when I bring it to the attention of the Pastors, they believe the way the are going about it is right. So I don’t know if to leave the church or continue, for the bible says anything done out of faith is sin. Paul says we should all be of one mind and not have arguments with one another in the church. If I decide to leave the truth is almost all the churches here believe in the same things and is so hard to find one that stands on the truth in the word of God.

I do pray that God helps us all and ultimately our goal is to make heaven. I also pray for forgiveness for everyone, including myself who might have got things wrong in anyway. For its only by his grace that we are saved. For if God could turn Saul to himself, then there is hope for everyone.

If we have five of Pastor Tunde Bakare’s type in Nigeria as men of God,Nigeria would have been a safe place for us.I like him so much and I pray that will continue to raise men of God like this to raise the banner of truth at all times

God bless Pastor Tunde Bakare. He is a Prophet with the mantle of Prophet Isaiah and Jerimiah.You and I will witness Amazing Surprises when we get to Heaven with the way so many ministers of God understand and present The Gospel to the world- taking just some aspects of The Word and hiding most important ones from people. I am not criticizing men of God, but it is of great concern that The Gospel has been presented lopsidedly by countless numbers of ministers of God, both believers and unbelievers are confused they don’t even know which one to believe as truth, they dont have an understanding of the perfect will, purpose and plan of God for humanity, and that is one of the major reasons why I feel God has sent TB to declare truth as Jesus Christ Himself would have said it if He were on earth. Sir, keep the good work, more power.

i cant even even imagine TB saying this…..he has not seen samuel anoint David in the Bible, Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, pauls cloak, etc he needs to go back to a sound biblical church for a good teaching maybe his muslim baclground did not let him have access to basics of christianity. on tithing who forces anybody to pay tithe, they only read the Bilble for you where it is written that people rob God when they dont pay their tithes.
He should better retrace his footsteps forgetting that the things of the spirit (God) is foolishness to those who are perishing. And if he has a problem with Dadi Adeboye or Papa Oyedepo he should go and settle it with them and God and not put in papers for public view: you differentiate a matured child of God by things like this because am sure they wont bad-mouth a fellow child of God like this in public.
its well and we are all striving towards perfection.

Dami
let us be more sensible now.did samuel go about anointing every one like pastors today do to all their members in most services? Jesus washed his apostle;s feet just to teach them to serve one another.did peter or any of them repeat such? paul used his apron and not mantle.he didnt multiply the mantle to give all his followers or church members like our pastors do today,making us depend on those pieces of cloths…a modern day idol worship that has replaced God.dont you think you are the one perishing by believing all pastors tell you without proper discerning like the Berea christians were doing to Paul!.
i dont know TB.i grew up in Onitsha in Anglican church.there are so many things our Anglican pastors teach and do that are not right which i discovered and stopped adhering to.
i believe TBakare is saying this in public for correction.most of us wouldnt have known these if he hadnt said it like this.i am given to learning and so i dont mind how it comes.
in Colossian 2;11, Paul publicly rebuked Peter who was even in ministry before him.the bible contains both good and bad sides of men of God,yet God allowed them to be put down for our own benefit. David was a man of God.yet when he slept with someone’s wife it was recorded.Peter was asleep with others when they should be praying and you know that.you should have reprimanded the bible writers for recording the weaknesses of these men of God whom we are looking up to. You should condemn the bible for containing imperfections of so-called men-of-faith.
i understand that may be you have sat under such pastors that discourage such that TBakare did. me too, i must admit…but i know we wouldnt have known it if TB hadnt come out to say it.

I don’t think you have thoroughly read or even understood what Tunde Bakare had to say. Obviously, you are still carried away with all those erroneous practices he described along with hero worship of your much celebrated men of God. Pity!

Men always prefer that other men remain in servitude to them. TB is some son of consolation who is determined that those Christ has set free must no be taken captive by those who ought to nurture them.

I did not have any doubt about what Bro.T said and I believe we need to ask God to give us understanding in this spiritual things.I got born-again and baptised in his church and I thank God for that..He is a man that will call a spade a spade.Since I left Nigeria,I go on the net to listen to his messages.There is an uncommon grace upon this man .I pray God will open our eyes of understanding to follow through.

DEAR PASTOR TUNDE BAKARE,
I AM GREERTING YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, I AM THE IGBO PASTOR CONNECTED TO WAVE IN NIGERIA. MY STORY IS NOT NEW AS FAR AS NIGERIA CHURCH OR MINISTRY IS CONCERN YOU , YOU CAN SEE WHAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH IN EJIGBO IN THE HANDS OF GHANIAN / NIGERIAN CHURCHES IN PARTICULAR .
TILL NOW NO MONEY , ALL THE PAID TO ME THROUGH CHURCHES , MY MEMBERS IN ABROAD ,AND WELL WISHERS BOTH HERE AND IN GHANA IS STILL IN THE HANDS OF GHANA WOMAN ; MRS DINA/RITA – HIGHER GROUDS IN GHANA A/FESTUS KEYAMO AGENTS . THEY AND THEIR AGENTS HAS BEEN GOING ROUND COLLECTING MONEY MEANT FOR ME TO START FOUNTAIN OF PRAYERS AGAIN.
AS I AM TALIKNG TO YOU, I AM STRANDED ALL OVER EVERY WHERE I FIND MYSELF, IN ABUJA HERE I HAVE BEEN FOR FOUR MONTHS WITH ONE SIUT ONLY, SLEEPING IN THE BUS PARK AND THE GHANA WOMAN I HEARD YOU GAVE MONEY TO PUT IN MY BANK ACCOUNT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING SHE IS DOING FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW CALLING CHASTIZING, SOMETHING SHE CANNOT DO TO THEIR PASTOR EVEN OUTSIDE GHANA. SHE IS COLLECTING ALL MY MONEY WHILE I AM KOBOLESS AND HELPLESS IN ABUJA.
I LEFT HIGHER GROUNDS MANY MONTHS BEFORE I LEFT GHANA IN 2009.PLEASE CAN YOU CALL THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISION – EFCC CHAIRPERSON TO TAKE AN URGENT DECITIVE STEP CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. I LOGDE A COMPLAINS TO THE COMMISION ON MARCH 7, 2011 AND YET TO RECEIVE A GOOD ANSWER TILL NOW.THIS DEVICE IS DANGEROUS TO MY HEALTH.
LOOK AT MY BANK ACCOUNT BELOW AND ASK THE HER REASONABLE QUESTIONS

!) ANTHONY NWANOSIKE ONYEUKWU, OCEANIC BANK SAVINGS, 0560001011155
2) ANTHONY NWANOSIKE NKWOCHA, GTB BANK, CURRENT, 225880220110
AND TELL HER TO RELEASE ALL MY VISA AND TICKET AND STOPPING COLLECTING MONEY IN MY NAME FROM ANY EMBASSY, THIS IS FRAUD, HER ACTIVITY IS NOW QUESTIONABLE IN NIGERIA, ALL THE PEOPLE THE SENDING TO SEE ME IN THE LAST TWO I CAME BACK GHANA INCLUDING HER AND AGENT WHO IS HIDING IN ABUJA NOW HAVE NOT VISITED ME FOR ONE DAY, BUT SHARING MONEY TO MY ENEMIES TIO KILL ME. I WILL BE GLAD TO RECEIVE YOUR CALL
SINCERELY,
PASTOR ANTHONY ONYEUKWU,
08123286877
FOUNTAIN OF PRAYEERS@HOTMAIL.COM

i got born again in the latter rain assembly and i bless God for this man of God who is raising sons and daughters and teaching us to know God on a personal level and not through any man. unfortunately or fortunatunately, i had to leave nigeria to live outside and it is amazing to see what the church has turned to, it goes to show that if you really do not witness what Pastor B is talking about then you will think that he is only judging. i have seen many things in the time i travelled and fellowship in other churches that makes me weep inside because it left me wondering if we are truly the body of Christ. I miss his teaching so much. my prayer is that God will help everyone to know HIM personally so that we can be delivered from every heresy.

Pastor TB Messages are on the internet with very crystal clear audio, we Thank God for People like pastor TB. Pastor Bakare may the anointing of God upon your life never run dry, The Lord will continue to uphold you with His righteous hand AMEN.

i for a person i supported all the issues raised by Pastor Tunde Bakare which is nothing but the truth, most time i fed up of churchs i rather stay my house read my bible and pray to God which i believe my prayer always answer, because i do fed with uncontrollable activities that is not biblical these so Pastors do introduce and one can’t challenge.

Pastor T.B may God grant you long life with aboundant wisdom. Pls ride on you’ve secure us enough hope that, there still true christian and real man of God in our existence..

Pastor Tunde Bakare is one of the few standing Fathers we have around, who have refused to bow their knees to Baal. You can see that in his continued quest for the supremacy of God’s word over the rampant unfounded ‘revelations’ being propounded by most of his colleagues. I can only say that God bless him and keep him around for a much longer time as he puts checks and balances on the excesses. God bless you Sir.
Gbenga Oluniyi
The Latter House, Ibadan

God has blessed Nigeria with people who could put her right,people like Fela,Gani Fawehinmi,Chief Awolowo,Bola Ige and Tunde Idiagbon to mention a few, Tunde Bakare is in the same vein as these people and my prayer is that God would let him see the reward of his strggle for a better Nigeria and justice for all. May God continue to bless this man of vigour,honesty,fairness,truth and holiness.

I am a lover of sound knowledge. Here is a real one. I am concerned about the mindset of an individual. I look for sincerity, purposefulness, forthrightness, fearlessness, truthfulness and industrious lifestyle. All these have been noted in the sayings, writings, and living of Pastor Tunde bakare. I pray that God will help him never to derail from the faith and the Kingdom of Heaven in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

M y prayer is that God’ll keep keeping and preserving You (Pastor Bakare) and your family.
I heard yesterday of your intention to run for Nigerian Presidency next year. I’m still findind it difficult to believe. But if it’s true, I say CONGRATS SIR!!! And I wont mind to fly back home to cast my vote.
I CAN SEE A RAY OF HOPE………

Pastor Tunde Bakare is forever a beacon of light and a herald of hope for the sick church and the ailing world. in this generation that truth is been eclipsed by falsehood, and the banner of righteousness has fallen at the gate, and those who seek and stand for righteousness and gfodliness, has made themselves a prey and has become an endangered species. Yet, there are those who chose to stand on the side of God.Pst TUNDE BAKARE’s dauntless spirit and rugged rage agaisnt all that defiles in the church of Jesus Christ and our great nation Nigeria can not be anything less than a ‘Holy Fire’ and passion that God Himself had kindled in Him. It must continue to burn untill the chaff are consumed out of the Church of JESUS CHRIST. Blessed are those who sit down at your feet to hear you always.

The Church of Jesus Christ must be cleansed from all the mess in which it is enmeshed. God is about to reposses His Church. We need a spiritual revolution not revival before the advent of the King.

Dear Pastor TB, Keep the fire burnning for God is with you, and hold not your peace untill the original glory of the Lord returns to the backsliden church.The Church must be rebuilt according to the original scriptural or apostolic parttern. Not many people love the truth but truth must prevail. Chalatans styling themselves as the servants of God, have taken over the pulpit for what they can grab from the treasury of the house of the Lord. And men had been gradually groomed intop false seekers after God who came primarily for the portion they can get from the bread on the table of showbread in the temple of God.Corrupted gospel that lack the breath of God to transform the depraved heart of men has been peddeled by false messengers of the gospel. This accounts for why we had many Churches than supermarkets and groceryu stores yet righteousness is not exhalted in this nation. Where is the fruit of our poreaching? Sanity must return. And it gladens my heart that Pastor TB is the Voice of the one crying in the wilderness in this generation…calling the Church to repentance.

Let he who had an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches through him. His Kind is found one at a time. May God replicate your dauntless spirit in many, to go over all the world as plain wanners of the judgement that is coming swiftly, beginning from the threshold of the house of God.

Jesus only is our message and only Him is Lord over His Body the Church.

Only of recent that this servant of God’s (Pst. TB) preaching started to get all my attention by watching him on Sundays on AIT. (Even though I attend one of the churches he mentioned above) I for one – a learning born-again chrisitian, I have always respected this servant of God for his blunt and HONEST TRUTH in his ways of preaching. You see lot of Born -Again Christians out there are still BLIND by FALSE TEACHINGS especially here in London-UK.
The TRUTH shall set us FREE!!!!
I will love to know this servant of GOD more or where his church is in United kingdom.
Only recently I was disscusing with my cousin’s that I will like to attend his church when next I am in Nigeria on holiday. I am still searching for the TRUTH because JESUS CHRIST is THE TRUTH.

I am highly lifted up by Pastor Tunde, I see him as one of the true followers of Christ. I have been in Latter Rain once or twice. I was impressed by the undiluted word of God I heard. Let us face reality. Christianity is not an organisation but an organism. Life in Christ is challenging but we have mesmerized it to look so common. Life in Christ goes with His power (God’s totality, while we are busy now pursuing witches and wizards. Are you telling me that if christ should be in our position He will do the same. He has given us power over every principalities and power. Some so called pastors are deceiving us by conducting deliverance, when we had already been delivered by God through Christ. Oh! Ignorance is a Disease. Must of these Pastors who have refused to work or have a source of lifelihood end up exploiting their members. Who told you that Pastorship is a profession. That is why when you asked one his profession, he said I am a pastor. We have been made to look too inferior by our pastors, whereby they are all knowing while we remain babies and can only see God through them. Our Lord Jesus said, all those that believe he has given the power to become children of God. Hence, when once you are a true believer your have His ability. That is why He also said, as He was here on earth so are we. Our problem is lazyness. Most of us are unwilling to study, we want somebody (human)who will study the bible for us, pray for us and intercede on our behalf. Look unto Him the author and finisher of our faith not man. Note also that no man is the founder of any church. Christ said he is going to build his church and the gate of hell will not privail. We are the church of the living God and when we make ourselves availbale he will surely build in us. Our problem is greed and competition. I am praying for true christainity, who are ready to live as true representatives of their father. I have my respect and regard for Pastor Tunde any day and anytime. He is a true son of His father. God heal my heart as I want to be like Jesus in my life.

Thank you so much for reiterating what I have written countless numbers of times in so many words. I thank you once again. May our eyes be opened to the true message of Christ. God bless you and I hope to read more from you soon.

How does description of some persons’ behaviours/character become judgement? What some people have said above is just confirming the fears of those that pointed out that some of us believers have turned their pastors into gods in their hearts. Anything these pastors say is right: indeed religion, not christianity o, is the opium of the people. And do you know many homes have been scattered? When the spouse who knows that what the pastor just said in the last service was wrong and says so, the wife/husband disagrees, it becomes an argument and this degenerates into a terrible rift. Most of us are just church goers. More often than not these ‘pastors’ tell us what they know we want to hear. And they go on to further impoverish the poor God has put in their fold to give succur. Doing incomplete reading of relevant scriptures to rip them off their not-enough hard earnings. TB just fire on as God is on your side, because you are on the side of the poor Jesus came for. I am a christian, no shaking. Pastor talks, I’m not clear, I cross check in the bible.

this is really bad, must a pastor speak about his fellow pastors, he is talking about scriptures, all this is not inside the scripture. he claim to know,what l know as a christian you are not meant to judge your brothers, God will be the judge.

U probably have to put your mind right and read the interview again. Pastor Tunde Bakare’s interview is clear. He made it clear how he met/send messages. He went into details to be understood by people like you who think he is judging people. How else do you think he could have corrected his fellow pastors. if he is not qualified to judge his fellow pastor, then you are wrong in your comment because that could be taken for judgement. I think we should be humble enough to allow people correct us if we are wrong.

I am a member of the latter rain assembly though, I have been out of the coutry for 2 years now. Pastor Tunde Bakare does not hide nothing even about himself from the church. Conversations with the children, wife or whosoever, he tells it to the church even in there presence. Not to let nobody down, but to let people learn from it. He is human, and he make mistakes. when he make mistake, he doesn’t sweep them under carpet, he comes back to the church and say, I said this the other day, I was corrected by the holy spirit, the is the right thing. He is very open to God and man kind. You gat to be careful when it comes to men of God. If a man of God can not correct his fellow man of God, i wonder who will do it.

It is very dangerous when man is in position where nobody can tell him “what you are doing is not right”. ie. when u are pastor, bishop, oversear, fatherless, etc. some people might even be happy to be in that position; there, you can dish out instuctions and no one instructs you; that is a deadly situation. As it is in the latter rain assembly, the pastor could be suspended if he should be. That is the teaching we received and it is carried out. We were thought, every believer is a minister, and every ministry is respected in the latter rain assembly. In that environment, no one is super power, we are all working towards the mark of the higher calling. We accept criticism as positive criticism and not judgement. There is no first position or second position in heaven, but “The redeemed of the lord’.

Who should be feared, if a man is after you, you have God to run to; if God is after you who will save you. The Pastor can’t just keep his mouth shut, if he does, he will be sinning against God because that is his ministry.

I miss worshiping directly under his ministry but I make sure i follow his messages online because, they are undiluted.

Hi pascal,
I am an Evangelist d truth is bitter, pls allow him to tell them the fact , we hav only few men like him. the Bible says do not judge but the same word of God says ur truth will set u free.
I pray that God will give us more men like him to differentiate politics and religion.
GOD BLESS YOU.

You don’t know what you are talking about! When did it become judgment to speak the truth? This is what is ruining the world all over today. That one can no longer speak the truth any more without being accused of being judgmental. Well, let me ask you if you find yourself in court standing before a judge and he delivers judgment, would you accuse the judge of judging? Wouldn’t you say he is rather doing the job he was employed to do? This is the essence of justice: to dispense the truth. So, my dear man, SHUT UP IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT! It’s people like you that give Christianity a bad name and image before the rest of the world.

of what benefit is this drama pastor TB is doing and how has been able to move the Xtiandom forward all he is just doing is running others down inorder to promote his crazy ideas.i totally agree with Ade and Dayo coker of What benefit is this Trash of an Article.ow can he be mentioning names.Abeg PTB is having Obsessive compulsive Disorder.His islam background is coming into play for real(Antagonistic,stubborn and violent).

Lanre, such a sorry case for u to open ur mouth or rather let ur fingers type wot was thought in ur heart. I suggest u go down on ur knees and pray to God for enlightenment that ur soul may be redeem, incase uar still living in darkness.

I think all of you are missing the fundamental point. You cannot blame all these people who claim to be Christians but in their hearts you find a lot of iniquities. Do they really know God? The bible says thou shalt not worship a foreign god. Was Jesus a black man or was he a Yoruba or Igbo or Hausa? Until our people go back to discover their roots and worship the Gods of their ancestors before the various problems bedeviling Nigeria can get solved. Our Gods metes out instant punishment on those who call their names in vain. If you are sworn in through Ogun, woe betide you if you corruptly enrich yourself. Eni ba da ile, a ba ile lo!

Your own case is totally beyond the issue dealt with here. I’m happy to tell you that idolatry has never and will never work for anyone instead the idolatrous system you advocate for is the very reason for the Black Man’s dilemma today. Understand this: EVERY FORM OF IDOLATRY, NO MATTER HOW TRIVIAL, WILL ALWAYS BE PAID BACK WITH THE PUNISHMENT OF SLAVERY.

I will like to reiterate this: “Integrity is the best immunity anybody can have.” as Pastor Tunde Bakare has said. If you have done nothing wrong, you have got nothing to fear! My knowledge and mindset have been exposed by this writeup as it contains the Truth (Scriptures), facts and figures; and serves as a spring board to living a credible life.

Thank you for posting this. The key thing for every believer is to have the tools to understand, interprete and apply the bible in the proper context. When we rely on this for ourselves rather than ‘man’ we would be set free.

I was in the Church TB pastors (LRA) at the begining and he allowed me on occasions, me a mere member, to query him using scriptures when i did not agree with him, we had a healthy exchange of positions. Rather than freeze me out we became closer.

Finally, the Church in Nigeria and every where would reflect better the life of the master when they understand that ‘conversion’ is a process not a single event, discipleship is a life long endeavour not a programme.

TB strikes me as a man that has integrity and is willing to stick his head out for the truth. i am not defending him, but lets look at the issue of mega churches with schools that most members of their church cant afford? my sister attends one and the owner keeps exploiting them by increasing the fees yearly. she doesn’t regard him as a man of God and says this is the view of virtually all of her colleagues imagine that you then begin to wonder if they are to help or empower people or extort them? if we must make impact and change lives we must be ready to do as Jesus did and have people oriented mission, not to exploit but to bless them. i believe pastors should work like Paul so that they don’t depend on their members for livelihood. may God help his church.

It is good to hear people speaking out,
it is better if change can be effected as a result.
Churchianity as I see it is shrouded in secrecy and fear
yet Jesus came so we can serve God all the days of our lives without fear
The things that Jesus did were not done in secret,It is better to obey God rather than men.
Hmmmm, the competition for the hearts and souls of people is stiff.

Could the problem be structural?
One man centred church or deacon led church is kind of like”yeah lets have one form of government till we are tired of it, we change and do merry go round.”

Change is not essentially bad, what is success in our christian walk?what are we emulating?Are we following Paul as he follows Christ?Or is the question who is Christ? We take everything we are fed,young birds being fed by mother bird;why do we need to know Jesus ourselves?
We are aware of the errors and kind of hope we dont make the same mistakes doing the same things ,for fear of “let he that is standing take heed lest he fall”On what are we standing? Fear or truth.
I do not subscribe to ministries who expose all preachers as false prophets.Surely as Elijah prayed against Israel, saying he alone was left,but rightly told by God 7000 have not bowed to Baal.There are people doing his will
Let God be God, if He is God,let us worship Him as God.
If there’s a problem with the foundation, the structures are on a shaky ground.

‘My mother,my brothers and my sisters are these here that hear my words and do them.’
It is easy to look at people as hypocrites,but I plead ignorance, people do stuff,because they dont know how not to?They dont because they dont know how to.

The people who know need to share with others,and there are people who think they know …….hmmmmOne deacon said to me you cant tell every body that they need to get into the bible themselves. I was like What?????
I was battered and discouraged and tired of doing things i did not want to do and this just led me to study the bible for myself,I dont know how many times I read the new testament over.I said to the pastor” you are an adulterer,”he said to me I am not…Hmmm.’Then he said there is no man of God on earth who does not have a problem’. The same preacher said it was okay for two mature people to have sex,because Paul said eat your meat in secret. Who is delivering who ?
One thing is certain, what is told in the secret places need to be declared on the roof tops.
These lies are being perpertrated still,because we either think we live right by strength or we think we cant live right ,therefore its got to be all right because you dont want to be a hypocrite.
Someone once told me he trusts only a particular man of God,it was on the tip of my tongue to say what I knew about him, but i said the truth, we need to know Jesus personally through his word, not via any mans interpretation. Have you ever heard it said that if you read the bible too much you will go crazy?
The Jesus of the bible does not advocate lies nor does he advocate sin. He gives power. He causes men to do and to will to do of his good pleasure.
Pastors,prophets and teachers often get really angry with me when I tell them to read the new testament and get to know Jesus intimately.

Common ,all who are disillusioned with church, dare to get to know Jesus, yourself,dare to read the new testament over and over again.
We dont know the half of what is happening in ministry ,but no doubt some are taking up the
the cause of those who have no food
no clothes
in prison
homeless
let the story not be
“I never knew you, you who work evil.
PS I make no apologies for living in the west,nor do I in any way feel bad that I was born in the UK. However, I will happily work with people of honest reputation who are feeding the poor, clothing the naked,visiting prisoners in the name of Jesus in my Country of origin.Nigeria.
“God lead us teach us guide us right..”..Amen (Adrao international schools anthem)

I have nothing to say but take TB back to the word of God, ”he who thinketh he stand, let him watch…….. People have left Latter Rain Assembly also for various reasons. At a time he left Nigeria and requested people to take over the activities of the church here in order to relocate to UK with his family and cursed or was it praying openly on the pulpit. Also, if Nigeria where he was born, raised and blessed is not good enough for his children to be raised for whatsoever reason he has with his wife then…….? Just like Bayo said, all of us know the problems and nobody is ready to take action. Even the blog writer, what action have you personally taken? The problem with churches and the country Nigeria goes beyond lip service by all. Until individuals irrespective of religious affiliation, take action by doing what is right irrespective of the consequences, then the society will be better and Nigeria will rise again. We should all go back home and start raising children with virtues according to the word of God.Nigerians missed it when we all threw caution to the wind and started to hero worship money, and ill gotten wealth. Obedience to the word of God is VERY COSTLY, CHURCH LEADERS AND THE LED ARE NOT READY TO PAY THE COST. PEOPLE ARE ONLY READY TO DO WHAT IS EASY IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. It is easy to castigate others, and try to outshine others. Let God be God, the word of God says judgment will start from the house of God, when God was ready to judge in the bible (Eli, David, Saul etc) He didn’t require help from whomsoever, He just said what He will do through His prophets and carried it out. And I know, He is still judging and will continue to judge every man according to their works. The apostles of old were not afraid to lay down their lives for what they believed. If TB has anything new from God that he is ready to act on to lead this nation back to the path of righteousness, let him say it and do it,if its a worthy cause and it is from the Lord, I believe people will follow him and God will even raise men up to support the cause, otherwise let him remain silent and let all of us work on our salvation with fear and trembling.

Mimi,
Thank you so much for your response, I must say it came right from the heart. okkkkkkk…..

What am I doing as the blog writer? To start with, if you have been following JSD, you will know that I have being telling it as I experience it – no hiding the truth. What am I doing? Mimi can you tell of any blogger out there who would dare go where I have gone on most ocassions with my personal experiences. What am I doing? I have laid it bare for all to see and judge and that has included my family, and my choice if I may add. It is un-Nigerian I was warned, and I am so glad that hundreds of people have benefitted and are still benefitting from JSD. So Mimi, that is what I am doing and will continue to do.

On TB to keep quite, that is the problem I have with most people that call themselves Christians – Christ – Like. Did Jesus ever keep quite because he knew he would offend with his controversial views? Not comparing TB to Christ, ever, but to act Christ – Like is my point. So I will not keep quite. I will continue to say it and hopefully, some people out there may just ponder and act.

We need to always be careful not to be scared to make our views known inorder to avoid offending WHO precisely? God or Pastor so and so?

So TB, please do not remain silent, I have said I do not agree with all his views, but I applaud him for standing tall with his them, that makes him taller in my eyes than the so called celebrity pastors that mount the pulpit in the name of Christ.

The point is Tunde Bakare is not the angel of the churches. if he claim that God have sent him; to who Has God sent him? when David did something wrong God sent prophet Nathan to him not to everybody in israel. indeed time shall tell, it is not the hearer nor the speaker that is justified but the doer.there is something i dont believe here cheap popularity. i have read through his interview alot of scriptural blunder which many that do not their bible will called great intelletual.i dont use anionting oil but then James spoke about it Mark also spoke of it.According to Tunde Bakare James 1 vs 1…….to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:(Gideon international version) if James was sent to the twelve tribes why was his writing sent to the whole world? dont be in a hurry read this Revelation 1 vs 1-4 …….John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia:… Tunde Bakare does he believe the book of revelation,wait a little, Ephesians 1 vs 1 Paul…..to the saints in Ephesus,Philippians 1 vs 1 Pual and Timothy…..to all…….at Philippi,1 Timothy 1 vs 1 Paul…..to Timothy my ture son in the faith,1 Peter 1 vs 1 Peter…..to God’s elect,………,According to Tunde Bakare these preachers were sent to certain people since he said that James was sent to the twelve tribes.this will then means the bible is not for the gentiles;According to him.i did not see anything serious about his comment. those press that comes to him if he has use that time to talk to them about salvation they could be save.if he have the word of God let him speak and if it is prophecy let him go ahead.this is part one. i will get back to you again. i am not a pastor but i spend time on the bible. let nigerians spend time on the bible.finally,the fact that you and i do not use the anionting oil does not make us the better.nobody nor preacher have monopoly of God.PFN of Nigeria should check Tunde Bakare’s scripts very well, let it not be that he is there to spy the liberty of the bretherns.this is the reason why jerusalem church objected the reception Pual at the beginning.no matter the time we will know who is a man of God.we have moslems from the the north great moslems on the book when they became christains they have massage of redeemption to others,Tunde preach the word-christ.remember you are not the angel of the churches.

Two, on the book Tunde collected from Oyedepo to sell. Tunde did you sell those books exact amount Oyedepo gave you to sell didn’t you add your own?

continuation…if you have not sold those books for exact amount sold to you are you not also making money like others?

Three,you have being in the Uk and America did you see alot of charity work to humanity there?
how much have you done to the poorest on the street that are not your church members you told the world that you had enough before God called you.i am just following your words. i do know that service unto God is service unto humanity.people should’nt be your church members before they are helped.you live in lagos did you see the remote area of lagos with your great wealth what have you done to amilorate the plight of the people.very soon your church will have branches all over the world- evangelization in quote….take heed to yourself.

Four,pray for those who are in authority 1 timothy 2vs1-2 ,Tunde do understood that which is the will of God? psalm David said God is the governor of the nations.why are you not praying for Nigeria…all you do is second NADECCO. If you have qurrel with anyone why dont you go to them.if you have problem with the government go to Aso rock the government will not kill you after all God who sent you (as you said)will defend you.i will get back stay on-readers

Tunde the bible says speak evil of no one sincerely your i have not seen maturity in all that you do.prophecy of obasanjo the people have not forgotten.you didn’t answered the press on obasanjo’s prophecy you gave you change the moment to talk about kumuyi’s statement on Adeboye PFN must be very careful.
over time in israel the prophets are not the kings, the kings are not the apostles,the priests are not the kings. if you want to be a politician you are free.2 Timothy 2 vs 4.Tunde i hope you can take this you are good at throwing at others.pray for nigeria. the UK and America you alway go they got their problems.yet Obama will always says God bless you, and God bless America.get involve in seeking God’s face for Nigeria,if you have being doing keep on God will answer the pray. but if you are complaining it seem to me you have given up.
five,you said why the coup fail? what of, if that was the will of God? what do you say to this.there was alot of problems in Jerusalem when Christ came, in fact at that time Jerusalem was a notorious city, did Jesus urge for the removal of the then government in Jerusalem. bible have it He (Jesus) wept for Jerusalem. it is not only Nigeria that have people that are suffering even Jerusalem the same.yet the disciples and Jesus did not take to the street for protests that pilate and ceasear must go.-take heed to thyself Tunde.i will come back stay on- readers

O Esheme, I can only read ur comments and feel so sorry for u. May ur eyes be opened and ur understanding quickened. Wake up quickly from ur slumber that the tide of waves may not carry u away in its rush!

I have read your post and I must say once more that this is the kind of attitutde that kills and destroys us in this country. When did it become suc a bad thing to openly say the truth about the Nigerian situation? Or are you waiting to adopt a fire brigade approach as we usually do in Nigeria when the problem has become daunting and has even given birth to children and grandchildren?
Mind you, just for talking out loud and clear alone has stood Tunde Bakare out from the rest of the pack and will stand him good in the day of judgment coming up here on earth when the Church will be judged by none other than God Almighty Himself in Nigeria. The day cometh, mark my words!
I am sorry to have to say this but you seem to be much misinformed and misguided, not to mention highly deceived, going by the utter nonsense your mouth has spewed forth. Still, you have a right to your opinions. But, in any case, don’t expose your ignorance and bankruptcy of morality.
Thank you.

P.S. – The man has openly said on countless occassions and actually done so to the effect that he has never stopped anyone from leaving the Latter Rain Assembly for elsewhere; on several occassions he has even blessed them with resources and other things to go and start off their own independent ministries without any rancour whatsoever. I know this because I am a witness to this. I am a member of the Church and I have never seen it done otherwise; in any case, things are done openly. I do not think the Latter Rain Assembly is a perfect Church filled with any perfect people/members. There is a fair share of odd characters there as well. But even at that, that should not stop one from fulfilling his ministry calling(s). Did the Scriptures not tell us of ‘those who were with us but not of us’?

So you see, you really don’t make much sense in what you say and you really don’t know what you are saying.
Thank you.

Thank JS
At least TB is calling a spade a spade. We have all listen to TB, now let us listen to our spirit
I am at the age where hypocrisy is my watchword as christian and a father.
Lets all live a life that is worth emulating for others as christian and continue to pray for these “pastors or men of God” who are wolves in sheep clothing. I often want to assume that they started with best intentions, but they got sidetracked by the desires of the world and their individual ego

Check out what another friend had to say as Wale Ajadi posted on FB ….”It is not well . The Pentecostals have managed to further damage the low levels of residual critical thinking in nigerian society. The capacity to promote complacency in equal measures as exploiting fears and superstition is stupefying the society and the only people who benefit from it are the so called ‘ Men of God’. We are all complacent in this abuse those who are Pastors and stay silent because they are in the club or those of us who are afraid of challenging this cult of personalities and prosperity. We have monetized God and devalued christ and it is not well!”

I had notification of this blog and am i glad i read it? sure i am. I know blogsphere primarily thrives on responses/feedback, but this is one article which requires indepth thorough reading in order to capture the central message. I admit i have copied it and i crave your indulgence, i need to read this over and over again as i believe that some life altering, time changing truths are embedded in this article if we can overcome dented egos and objectively evaluate the current church, its practise and our contributions to the status quo.
The last time i read something like this was from a guy called Paul of Tarsus. Then there was this other guy who spoke in similar tones, i believe his name was errrr, yeah Elijah.

One phrase he says and i simply love is that he hates to see men bow before men (pastors) saying pray for me, pray for me……afterall, God has said whosoever believes can come. It simply makes one understand that a ‘walk’ with God is not the purview of just a select few.

i read with much interest this article because coincidentally i just saw the letters refering to it from readers those both championing and defending the cause.I agree he has the right to speak…but there’s something about speaking the truth in love…you do not bring down and say well i have nothing to fear….no one says he should water down his observations but 1st question:will it bring glory to God?christians with weak faith might totally fall from the faith and unbelievers will rub their hands with glee and say:look at them…i won’t even get started on other faiths.I remember a secular singer called coko who became a christian and started singing gospel…when interviewed she said when she was doing secular she expected the haters but she was totally shocked when she started gospel and she saw even more haters!Christians already have the reputation of pulling down each other…..i ask again is it worth it?

confusion…and more confusion…The Church, Mosque or even tradition has no appreciable positive impact on societyagain! God is watching…Nigerians are loosing their patience. Something is about to happen…and perhaps too many people don’t know what it will be!

Whilst I agree that as Christians we should shine the light of truth in the midst of darkness – I wonder whether this piece will spark the response that we need in Nigeria. I don’t personally agree with all his views but I will fight for his right to speak the truth however my concern is what is the purpose of this article? Will it improve our country, our churches and our leaders? Or does it just feed into the cycle of negativity that far too prevalent in Nigeria?

Yeah, I read this article on the newspaper and was excited to hear his thoughts about some of the issues I have with churches in Nigeria. We claim we’re worshipping God but istead all our tendencies and heart desires go to money, status, etc. Churches are rising up left right and center but achieving nothing. They are raising buildings instead of turning souls to sons. Where I live, there’s a church of just about less than 100 members but embarking on a $3 million building project. For what? And they would mount on the pulpit and manipulate God’s children to give everything they have to worthless projects. If they have such faith to believe God for $3 million, what about 3 million souls? Can we have men of God who are interested in raising leaders of character and virtue than thieves? Infact, let me stop before I say something I’ll regret. May God help us. BTW Jide, I’m not afraid to speak my mind about any of these pastors oh. Its just out of respect that I’m bridling my tongue.

JS, may I ask why you tried your hands on ‘intellectual blackmail’ by inferring that those who do not respond to this piece are timid???…lol. However, in my own opinion & in relation to governance in Nigeria, TB has not said anything new…..it’s all the tales & analysis of what we already know as the basic problems of the Nigerian society but my question is aside from talking boldly about what is wrong with Nigeria….what positive & concrete actions has TB taken in terms of either volunteering to serve or sponsoring ‘righteous’ people to positions of authority & governance in our land???……He said in his answer to the question on immunity that ‘Why didn’t he do something about it. He only said it. If you are serious, take action’…referring to UYA…..well, am asking him same right now….we have had enough of the process of unblocking peoples mind through write-ups, advertisements, preaching, symposium, lectures, interviews e.t.c….lets’ all take action jare…….